fĭdēlis, e, adj. [1. fides], that may be trusted or relied upon, trusty, faithful, sincere, true (class.; syn. fidus).
I Prop.
A Adj., constr. absol. , with dat., or with in and acc.
α Absol. : cum et civis mihi bonus et firmus amicus ac fidelis videretur, Cic. Cael. 6, 14: doctus, fidelis, Suavis homo, etc., Enn. ap. Gell. 12, 4 (Ann. v. 249 ed. Vahl.): boni fidelesque socii, Liv. 22, 37, 4; 9, 2, 5; 29, 7, 2; 22, 37, 4 Drak. N. cr.; cf.: sociis multo fidelioribus utimur, Cic. Att. 5, 18, 2: est urbs Massilia fortissimorum fidelissimorumque sociorum, id. Font. 1, 3: fidelissima conjux, id. Q. Fr. 1, 3, 3: medicus multum celer atque fidelis, Hor. S. 2, 3, 147: minister, id. C. 4, 4, 3: seu visa est catulis cerva fidelibus, id. ib. 1, 1, 27: multorum opes praepotentium excludunt amicitias fideles, Cic. Lael. 15, 54: consilium, id. Agr. 2, 2 fin. ; cf. id. Clu. 31, 85: opera, id. Caecin. 5, 14; cf.: operā Commii fideli atque utili, Caes. B. G. 7, 76, 1: cura, Ov. H. 1, 104: silentium, Hor. C. 3, 2, 25: desideria (patriae), id. ib. 4, 5, 15: lacrimae, i. e. true , genuine , Ov. H. 14, 127.—
β With dat.: qui (Cn. Pompeius) unum Deiotarum fidelem populo Romano judicavit, Cic. Phil. 11, 13, 34: cave tu illi fidelis potius fueris quam mihi, Plaut. Aul. 4, 2, 11: illi fuisti quam mihi fidelior, id. Capt. 3, 5, 58: habere aliquem fidelem sibi, id. Bacch. 3, 3, 87: quem sibi fidelem arbitrabatur, Caes. B. G. 4, 21, 7; Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 1; Quint. 11, 2, 42.—
γ With in and acc.: quam fideli animo et benigno in illam fui, Ter. Hec. 472; cf. Cic. Mil. 10, 29: in amicos, Sall. C. 9, 2 (others read: in amicis, v. Kritz. ad h. 1.).—
b Subst.: fĭdēlis , is, m., a trusty person , a confidant : si quem tuorum fidelium voles, ad me mittas, Cic. Fam. 4, 1, 2.
II Transf., in gen., of things, to be depended upon , sure , safe , strong , firm , durable (rare but class.): nam et doctrina et domus, et ars et ager etiam fidelis dici potest: ut sit, quomodo Theophrasto placet, verecunda tralatio, Cic. Fam. 16, 17, 1: in nave tuta ac fideli, id. Planc. 41, 97: lorica, Verg. A. 9, 707: portus, Ov. Tr. 4, 5, 5: materies terebinthi ad vetustatem, Plin. 13, 6, 12, § 54; structura, Front. Aquaed. 123: rimis explendis fidelior pice, Plin. 16, 36, 64, § 158: fidelissimum glutinum, id. 28, 17, 71, § 236.—Hence, adv., in two forms: fĭdē-lĭter ( class. ) and fĭdēle (ante- and postclass.).
I Faithfully , trustily , certainly , surely , honestly.
α Form fideliter: constanter et fideliter in amicitia alicujus permanere, Liv. 33, 35, 9: vivere simpliciter, fideliter vitaeque hominum amice, Cic. Off. 1, 26, 92: obtestatur per sua antea fideliter acta, etc., Sall. J. 71 fin. : aliquid fideliter curare, Cic. Att. 15, 20, 4: valetudini inservire, Tiro ap. Cic. Fam. 16, 17, 1: colere amicos, Plin. Ep. 7, 31, 5: discere artes ingenuas, Ov. P. 2, 9, 47: retinent commissa (aures), Hor. Ep. 1, 18, 70; cf.: ejus (memoriae) duplex virtus, facile percipere et fideliter continere, Quint. 1, 3, 1: exstincta parum fideliter incendia, Flor. 3, 5 med. —
β Form fidele: fac fidele sis fidelis, Plaut. Capt. 2, 3, 79: militare, Prud. στεγ. 10, 428. —
b Comp. : quo propior quisque est servitque fidelius aegro, Ov. M. 7, 563; Plin. Ep. 6, 24, 3.—
c Sup. : ut is optime te laudasse videatur, qui narraverit fidelissime, Plin. Pan. 56, 2.—
2 (Acc. to II.) Surely , strongly , firmly : per quorum loca fideliter mihi pateret iter, Planc. in Cic. Fam. 10, 23, 2: oratoris futuri fundamenta fideliter jacere, Quint. 1, 4, 5: quod fideliter firmum est, a primis statim actionibus arripere optimum est, firmly grounded , id. 6, 4, 14; cf. Gell. 15, 2, 6.— Comp. : qui quartanum passus convaluerit, fidelius constantiusque postea valiturum, Gell. 17, 12, 3: memoriae inhaerere fidelius, Quint. 10, 6, 2; cf. id. 10, 3, 2.— Sup. : fortunae inaurato fidelissime simulacro, very solidly , durably , Plin. 33, 3, 19, § 61.